One of the most underused baits out there is a hard plastic frog. Not too many anglers have picked up this bait and have given it a whole lot of use. Sometimes a frog bite will last all day long. Usually the fish you get on a frog are quality so the frog is a great bait to use during your tournaments. A lot of people have gone away from frogs because they have terrible luck with hooking up. In order to be successful at frog fishing you need to have the right tackle. I like to use an AiRRUS six foot nine medium heavy Ultra XL rod for my frog fishing. On the lakes around where I fish I don’t usually have to make really long casts but accuracy is more of my concern. On the lakes I fish I’m throwing my frogs around boat docks, shallow grass beds or up under over hanging trees.
This rod allows me to make accurate casts but has enough length and power to drive the hooks home. If your going to throw a frog all day a flipping stick will really wear you out. Whatever rod you choose make sure it has a lot of backbone and that it doesn’t weigh a lot. As far as line goes 65lb braid is about as good as it gets for frogs. I have seen it though where the fish are in more of a negative mood and you have to fish your frogs on mono. Just the other day I was frog fishing and the fish were not eating the bait because the braid would pull the frog away from them on the retrieve if they were to come up and hit it. I switched up to mono and the delay when I was working the frog was enough that the fish could take the frog deep. If your missing fish on braid switch to mono but braid has a lot of advantages over mono typically. You won’t have to retie as often, braid cuts through grass, and theirs no stretch so you get a better hookset on the end of the cast. For colors you just need three. I have an assortment of black, natural green, and white frogs.
Usually the black frog takes the cake but in some clear water situations the green seems to work better. When I go to retrieve a frog I like to work it in quick bursts then stop it. You have to be on your toes because as soon as it stops they will crush it. Sometimes a slower retrieve produces but usually I work them pretty fast. When your fishing grass look for grass that isn’t as thick or has some larger holes in it. This type of grass usually produces better fish because the fish have room to move around in it. You can get your frog to walk better if you cut one of the skirt legs a little shorter. I got this tip from Bassmaster a while back and it gives your frogs a lot more action. Most frogs are hollow or have some type of hole where you can insert a rattle. This seems to help on the thicker grass. You can also shove a carolina rig bead in the frog to give it some sound. When you get a bite on the frog be sure to wait till the frog is out of site or you feel the weight of the fish before you lean back and set the hook. If you haven’t given frog fishing a try this season be sure to tie one on next time. The frogs are really out right now and the bass are chomping them down.
Spencer Clark
Bass East Staff
